Board Clears $150M-Plus Consent Calendar, Confronts Vote-by-Mail Threat

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors moved swiftly through a 205-item consent calendar worth hundreds of millions of dollars, then slowed down for presentations that surfaced two very different threats: an invasive mosquito capable of spreading Zika and dengue has now been found in Antioch three years running, and a pending U.S. Supreme Court case could upend how 90% of Californians cast their ballots.

• 205 consent items approved unanimously, committing $105M for hospital construction, $44M for a behavioral health center, 1,111 acres of development rights to parks, and a 19-year waste franchise
• Clerk-Recorder reports 45% primary turnout — up 10 points — but warns Watson v. RNC could force California to stop counting ballots received after Election Day
• Disease-carrying mosquito found in Antioch for third straight year; district weighing a Wolbachia-treated male mosquito release pilot
• Board votes 5-0 in closed session to join amicus in County of Santa Clara v. ICE immigration enforcement case
• EMS assessment renewed at 1988 rates with no inflation adjustment; any change would require a two-thirds ballot measure
• Head Start hits record enrollment of 4,034 children despite federal COLA of less than 1%
• Brown Act telecom disruption policy adopted before July 1 deadline, with debate over whether meetings should ever continue without remote public access